The Path to Destiny: Tia's Folly (3 page)

“Roland
– ”
Tia sighed in exasperation as she noticed her
hands were still sparkling. “Isn’t there an easy version you could tell me?”

“Well…”
he hesitated not really all that willing to admit he didn’t know all of the ins
and outs of what had just happened. Even he, as a high priest, only knew the
basics. “The short version is this - , the Gods are the only ones who have the
power to use this ring. They chose you to preside over the peace council, but
because you aren’t a God, they had to give you the ability to be able to use
it.”

“Um-,”
she understand that much but that didn’t clarify why she was glowing though.
“You didn’t think I needed to know this until
after
I became a Druid torch?”

“Okay,
I don’t think I am explaining this well.” Roland pushed back his hood and ran
his fingers through his hair. “
This is
why apprentices aren’t supposed to be given a destiny! You aren’t prepared!”

“That’s
exactly
what I said!” Tia growled in
agreement before shaking her head and getting back to the subject of glowing.
“That isn’t important right now though! Right now I need to know
why
whatever just happened, happened!”

“Do
you see the ring?” Roland pointed behind him and smiled. “There is no
entrance.”

“Wha - ?”
She shook her head in confusion.

“Just
listen,” he waved off her question and surged ahead. He was just glad to be
talking about something he actually knew about. “You are linked to this ring
for the rest of your life. It will not permit anyone to enter without your
permission – except
Druids,
if the ring is open a
Druid may enter. That is why – when the leaders arrive – they have to sign a
blood pact with you. That is what binds them to you for the length of the peace
council and prevents them from leaving, but if they don’t sign, they can’t even
enter the council.”

“I
see,” Tia nodded as she thought this new information over. She had so many
questions but the one she had to know burst out before she realized she had
even said it. “How
exactly
do I open
the ring?”

“You
ask?” Roland shrugged as he bent down to retrieve the traveling supplies he had
dropped when he rushed to her aid. “How would I know? Anyhow, I think it is
time to bed down for the night. You can take the hut; I will begin constructing
another one – next to yours – tomorrow.”

“Alright,”
she automatically replied as she mulled over different ideas on how to open the
ring.

“Wait!”
Tia snapped out of her thoughts and called as he strode towards the hut. “Why
did the light knock me down?”

“Normally
that wouldn’t have happened but it had to
force
its way into you,” Roland kept walking as he imparted that news over his
shoulder. “That is why you weren’t warned. Uren was worried
you
might be the first Druid
ever
to refuse the light.”

Tia
didn’t know what to say to that.

***

Two
weeks later, Tia sighed in frustration as she paced around the inside the ring.
After the long, seemingly endless days of mediating the peace talks,
now
they were falling apart in front of
her. The worst part though was her inability to do anything about it.

Helplessly,
she looked for Roland to seek his guidance. Tia rolled her eyes in frustration
when she noticed he was not within the rings. Closing her eyes, she slowly
counted to ten and wished for the calm nature of the Druids. A moment later,
she raised her face to the sky, pleading silently with the Gods to help her
before turning to confront the cause of her frustration in a very
un-druid-like
manner.

           
“What you are asking is unrealistic,” Tia firmly informed
the Phoenix Warlord. “Bylan, we are looking for a way to end this war
peacefully. In my heart, I do not believe the Gods intend the Phoenix to rule
over every being in the lands. This is
ridiculous
and you know it!”

           
“Then the truce will be over,” Bylan announced blandly
with a smirk at Tia, clearly enjoying her ire. “I have my price and no one here
seems willing to meet it.”

           
Angry shouts erupted as the Phoenix Warlord stood and
simply walked out of the ring. Huffing impatiently, Tia followed him to the
edge.

           
“Please, Bylan!” She called as she hurried to catch up to
him.
“Listen to reason for Gods’ sake!”

           
Stopping outside of the ring, the Phoenix Warlord turned
to Tia and held out his hand with the same cocky smirk on his face.

           
“If you wish to speak about this, you will join me in my
tent,” Bylan commanded as he looked directly into her eyes. Arching his
eyebrow, he openly leveled the dare at her.

           
Tia hesitated. She was standing just inside the circle of
stones; her circle of safety. She knew it was a bad idea - dangerous even! -
to
meet with any Phoenix, not to mention a Warlord, outside
of the ring. Looking into Bylan’s clear blue eyes, she tried to determine his
reasoning behind inviting her to his personal abode.

Slightly
agitated by her inability to read the maddening Warlord, she turned and looked
at the angry group behind her. If she had to choose between the group of angry
men and the single Warlord in front of her; she would choose the Warlord.
Realizing she didn’t have much of a choice after the ultimatum he had given,
she turned back to Bylan and bravely met his hard stare.

           
“This is a truce council,” Bylan mocked her obvious
indecision even as he openly, and obviously, raked his eyes up and down her
shapeless robe. “Surely you don’t believe I would harm you here.”

           
“I don’t know what to believe when you are beyond the
ring,” she replied honestly, wanting to kick herself for the quiver in her
voice. Of all the impressions she wanted to give the Warlord, weak wasn’t one
of them. She needed him to see her as a strong leader.

           
Pressing her lips together, she boldly stepped out of the
ring before speaking.

           
“You risk being tortured for
eternity
- by the Gods themselves - if you harm a Druid,” Tia lied
bravely as she laid her hand in his.

           
She jumped as his warm fingers wrapped around hers. She
wasn’t sure what surprised her more; how warm he was, or how handsome he looked
when he smiled at her? Flushing guiltily, Tia dropped her eyes and reminded
herself that beauty couldn’t cover the ugliness
inside
of a person.

           
“I live for
thousands
of years, I am sure I could harm
one
Druid and the Gods would eventually forgive me.” Bylan gave her a salacious
grin and gently tugged her towards his tent.

           
Tia knew he probably didn’t believe her lie and chose not
to respond as she allowed him to pull her along behind him. A warm breeze blew
through her hair and a shiver passed through her body. Apprehensively, she
wondered if it was fear or desire for the handsome Warlord. Tia desperately
hoped it was fear. Not wanting to continue to follow that line of thinking, she
turned her attention to the guards stationed just outside the large entrance to
Bylan’s tent. Tia noticed that the guards were surprised to see her there.
If she was honest with herself, she was
surprised too.

           
Stepping inside, she quickly surveyed her surroundings.
The first thing she observed was that the tent was tall enough for her to stand
in. This was shocking for the simple fact that she was six feet tall. From the
outside it appeared to be small and yet, the inside was actually quite
spacious. The Warlord had an actual bed in one corner! And then it dawned on
her. The tent was enchanted. Knowing this was a common occurrence, she didn’t
give it much thought.

Two
poles with chains wrapped around them caught her attention. They stood about
five feet apart near one wall of the tent. Caught up in ruminating about the
poles, she didn’t notice Bylan circle the inside of the tent and come to a stop
behind her.

           
“I have always wanted to try other beings,” Bylan
whispered just barely loud enough for Tia to hear.

           
“What do you mean?” She whispered back in her innocence
as she turned to face him. Conscientiously putting the poles from her mind, she
hoped he was about to say something that would help her get him back into the
peace council.

           
“I mean, my pretty little Druid, that I have always
wanted to fuck beings other than Phoenix women,” he stated crudely, lightly
stroking her arms.

           
Tia felt her mouth fall open and her eyes widen in surprise.
Never having been exposed to this form of harassment, she was unable to
immediately think of a single thing to say to such an outlandish statement. Her
heart thudded in her chest even as a blossom of heat sizzled from her arms to
the pit of her stomach. Tia was surprised to realize this was probably desire.
Immediately, she thought of Roland, and a flush of guilt spread over her face.

           
“I am not here to-” Her mouth worked as she searched her
mind for an appropriate word.
“To bond with you.
Period
.
I am here
to discuss the peace council and try to find a compromise that would work for
everyone.

           
“I want the world at my feet,” Bylan clarified sinisterly
as he slowly circled around Tia, lightly touching her. “I want every woman to
wonder when or if I will ever fuck her. I want every man to fear me and wonder
the same thing. I want to control all beings.”

           
“Please Bylan,” she whispered raggedly as she silently
begged the Gods to stop her body from responding to his treachery. “You are
scaring me. I just want to find a way to end the bloodshed.
The Gods are demanding we end this
.”

           
Fear and curiosity froze her in the middle of his tent as
she felt him laugh and move aside her heavy braid. A shiver of heat and dread
slid down her body as Bylan’s lips brushed across her neck eliciting a soft
gasp from her. Need snaked its way through her body as he gently closed his
mouth over her neck and softly suckled her.

           
“I will agree to two more weeks of meeting with the other
leaders if you will agree to share my bed for that time,” Bylan rasped hoarsely
as his hands settled on her hips. He slowly ground his erection into her
backside leaning in to lick and suckle her neck again. “I know you are
innocent, Tia. If you come to me
willingly
,
I will be gentle.”

           
“Bylan, I am to be bonded in 11 days time. I cannot share
your bed.”
 
Tia nearly sagged back into
his embrace as she prayed for the Gods to get her out of this situation. Every
nerve ending was screaming at her to turn around and submit to the Warlord.
Heat pooled between her legs and she bit back a low moan that was begging to be
released.

           
“If the Gods created and then sent the most beautiful
Druid I have ever seen to me,
how can you
know this wasn’t
their purpose for
you
?” Bylan moved his hands up and around her body to caress her breasts.

           
“I am one of the chosen people,” she said with more gusto
than she felt. Her breasts grew fuller with pleasure at his touch and yet she
longed to slap his hands from her body;
either
that or turn around in his arms and press my mouth to his.
“The Gods do
not
whore out their people.”

           
“I will promise to leave the Druids alone and leave their
lands alone,” he mumbled as he lavished kisses across her neck and continued to
massage her breasts. “If you come to me willingly, I will promise to leave the
Druids out of this war and let them keep their swamps and their bogs. I really
am not interested in the foggy, wet lands of the Druids anyhow.”

           
Bylan slowly sat down on a chair and drew her down onto
his lap. Her back to his front, he hung her legs on either side of his and
slowly worked his hand under her robe.

           
Tia’s body was on fire. She was sure she was going to die
but she felt so good she just didn’t care at this moment. Every nerve ending
screamed in anticipation as she focused on the hand creeping up her leg.

           
“It can be so good,” he promised, gently turning her face
to his with his free hand before kissing her.

           
Looking deep into his green eyes, Tia gave herself over
to the sensations. Her lips tingled as she greedily mated his tongue with her
own. Her hips moved of their own accord and Tia gasped into Bylan’s mouth as
his hand finally found her womanhood.